McCoy trial to begin today

The murder trial of a Berkeley Springs man for the August 2014 stabbing death of Justin Buell is set to begin today, Wednesday, July 15, in Morgan County Circuit Court.

Wesley A. McCoy, 25, was arrested by police on August 19, 2014 and charged with murdering Buell following a verbal argument that escalated into a deadly chase across South Washington Street in Berkeley Springs.

McCoy is accused of arguing with Buell in an apartment McCoy shared with his girlfriend near the Earthdog Café, and then chasing Buell with a knife across the Douglas Auto Sales car lot and down toward U.S. 522 before stabbing the man in the neck.

Buell, a Morgan County man, died shortly after the incident.

McCoy has been held in the Eastern Regional Jail without bond since his arrest last August.

His girlfriend, Brittany Clark, 29, of Berkeley Springs pled guilty in January to witness intimidation in the case. She was arrested by police in September 2014 after one of the witnesses in the case said she had threatened him if he didn’t change his statements about the night of Buell’s murder.

McCoy is being represented by defense attorneys Craig Manford and Kevin Watson. Prosecuting Attorney Debra McLaughlin will argue the case against McCoy for the State of West Virginia.

Circuit Court Judge Christopher Wilkes will preside over the jury trial. Jury selection is slated to begin today at 9 a.m. at the Morgan County Courthouse.